1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a color filter substrate for a liquid crystal display device and a method of fabricating the same. Although embodiments of the invention are suitable for a wide scope of applications, they are particularly suitable for obtaining a color filter substrate for a liquid crystal display device and a method of fabricating the same that prevent a gravity defect and a touch defect.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The role of electronic display has become more important in the current information oriented society. Electronic displays have been widely used in various industrial fields. In addition, electronic displays have been rapidly advanced to provide functions meeting to the demands of the information oriented society.
In general, an electronic display is a device that transfers various information to humans through visual sense. The electronic display transforms electronic information signals outputted from various electric devices into optical information signals that can be recognized by the human eyes. An electronic display may be considered as a bridging device for connecting humans to the electronic devices.
The electronic display is classified into an emissive display if it displays the optical information signal through emitting light, and a non-emissive display if it displays the optical information signal through optical modulation using reflection, diffusion, and interference characteristics. Examples of emissive displays, which also may be referred to as active displays, include a cathode ray tube (“CRT”), a plasma display panel (“PDP”), an organic electroluminescent display (“OELD”), and a light emitting diode (“LED”). Examples of non-emissive displays, which also may be referred to as passive displays, include a liquid crystal display (“LCD”), and an electrophoretic image display (“EPID”).
Electronic displays have been applied to computer monitors and televisions. The cathode ray tube (“CRT”), which is the display having the longest history, has a large market share in terms of economic efficiency, but has many disadvantages, including heavy weight, large volume, and high power consumption.
In light of the rapid development of semiconductor technology, various electronic devices have become small, thin and light weighted, and a flat panel display device has been receiving attention as an electronic display proper to such a trend in the electronic devices. Accordingly, the demand of flat panel display devices has rapidly increased. In order to satisfy such a demand, flat panel display devices such as a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) device, a PDP device, and an OELD device have been intensively researched. Among the flat panel devices, a liquid crystal display device has been receiving attention due to the advantages thereof, such as, small, light-weight and thin, low power consumption and low driving voltage.
In general, a liquid crystal display devices includes a color filter substrate having a color filter and a black matrix, and an array substrate having a thin film transistor (“TFT”) element and pixel electrodes. The liquid crystal display device also includes a liquid crystal material having anisotropic dielectric property interposed between the color filter substrate and the array substrate. The liquid crystal display device displays a desired image by controlling the amount of light transmitting through the color filter substrate and the array substrate by applying electric potential to the pixel electrodes and a common electrode, to thereby change the arrangement of liquid crystal molecules.
A liquid crystal display device needs to maintain a cell gap between the color filter substrate and the array substrate, and spacers have been introduced to maintain a constant cell gap in the liquid crystal display device. Spacers can be classified into a ball spacer disposed on the substrate or a column spacer formed on the substrate after patterned to have a predetermined shape Ball spacers have a thermal expansion coefficient similar to that of the liquid crystal material. Accordingly, the ball spacers can be used at any temperature conditions.
However, the ball spacers may be shifted when a liquid crystal display device is vibrated or undergoes impacts. When the liquid crystal display device according the related art is vibrated or undergoes impacts, the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules changes or becomes tilted, thereby causing light leakage defect and reducing a contrast ratio of the liquid crystal display device.
To overcome such a problem, a liquid crystal display device according to the related art includes a patterned column spacer instead of ball spacers. The pattern column spacer is formed on the substrate to suppress diffusion problem or the light leakage problem. However, such a liquid crystal display device having the column spacer according to the related art may have a gravity defect. A gravity defect occurs when the liquid crystal molecules leans toward the gravity direction in the high temperature. In addition, such a liquid crystal display device having the column spacer according to related art may have a touch defect when pressure is applied to the liquid crystal display device.